Something Special Happened Yesterday.

Thing 2 had a birthday. Yup. She did. She is 1 years old. All morning long Thing Uno and I sang Happy Birthday to her. Of course, 1 sang the lesser known part of, NO! It's not her birfday party! We only sing Happy Birfday at birfday parties! By 10 a.m., however, Thing 2 grew weary of Happy Birthday. She stopped clapping after each rendition, which is a pretty big deal considering she just learned how and never ceases to do so. Apparently, she'd had all the Happy Birthday she could handle. Fortunately for her, my Better Half and I are carrying on the traditions of my father--er mother, rather--and did not have any festivities planned for today (as in the actual day of her birthday) other than the spontaneity of song-bursting. What? He's got tests and I've got 5 a.m. Weekends are much better for us. Though, I didn't have to teach seminary that morning and should have had a tad more energy--should being the operative word--and would have, had any of my (two) students let me know they were honoring Thing 2's b-day by sleeping in--a.k.a. NOT SHOWING. 6 a.m. no shows make for an angry anybody, let alone a mom with two Things. I pray every night that my Things will simply skip over ages 13-17 and grow into attractive, wise young adults. I am pretty sure with all the teenage angst--including my own hole-in-the-wall-kicking years--I've experienced in my wee little lifetime The Man will grant me this wish. Yup. Pretty sure.

Digressions aside, Thing 2, here are some of the reasons we adore you. I will refrain from listing the things that we...uh...don't adore in the very small instance that you do not skip your teenage years. That way when you read this, you can't blame your horrible, no good, very bad LIFE on me and the things I said when you were 1. Ha.

We adore you because:

• you might love playing peek-a-boo more than you love us. I have a video, but my Better Half has not given clearence as to its post-age yet--just FYI.
  
• you just got your first teeth, just shy of a year, and you've figured out how to use one of them to bite with.
  
• you still look like you did at 9 months old, thus, keeping you little, and me with out hunger for another.
• you give loves--performed by placing one's head onto anothers' shoulder--to any and everything, dirty old rugs included, especially when you're tired.
• you let us hold you once in a while.
• you have the baldest head this side a'the Mis'sippi.
• you love your blanket with all your might, mind and strength. We can tell this by the technique in which you tackle it upon sight.
  
• anytime we sing to you, you join in with your own melody, duh-duh, da, duh-duh... Sometimes you even lead.
  
• you giggle kick every time we come to retrieve you from your crib.
• you are precious, adorable, and full of life.
• you are you.
  

Happy Boody to ya, 2.

We wish you every happiness. May you forgive us for your chaotic, unconventional life which was the causing of many of your nap-skippings and the learning of nothing more than sarcasm and wit.